Business Development & Sales Lead – UK Defence Market

About the role

Shield AI, a venture‑backed defence‑tech company, is looking for a Business Development & Sales Lead to grow its V‑BAT ISR UAS and Hivemind mission‑autonomy capabilities in the United Kingdom. The role focuses on defence and government customers operating in time‑sensitive and non‑standard acquisition environments.

Key responsibilities

• Own and drive the full sales lifecycle for V‑BAT ISR opportunities, from pipeline generation through to close, especially on accelerated acquisition pathways.
• Identify, qualify and prosecute urgent operational requirement (UOR) opportunities by understanding how end‑user communities generate and fund time‑critical capability needs.
• Develop and execute territory and capture strategies aligned with Shield AI’s long‑term plan and UK special‑operations ISR requirements.
• Build trusted relationships with decision‑makers, capability sponsors and programme offices across the defence community.
• Lead proposal development with BD Operations and cross‑functional teams, ensuring alignment with customer requirements.
• Partner with Product, Engineering and Solutions teams to translate operational needs into technical solutions for both V‑BAT and Hivemind.

Required profile

• Operational background in UK special‑operations, special‑mission or high‑readiness environments, with experience bridging requirement and capability development.
• Deep knowledge of UK defence acquisition processes, including formal, accelerated and urgent pathways.
• Proven track record of transitioning from military service to a commercial role selling defence capability.
• Experience developing and executing capture strategies for complex, relationship‑driven opportunities.
• Active SC clearance (DV‑cleared candidates preferred).

Required skills

• UAS ISR performance and integration expertise.
• Autonomous systems and AI‑enabled mission‑autonomy knowledge.